1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for making booklets. Such structures of this type, generally, employ a saddle, a plurality of skis, and a cutting mechanism to retain and cut individual sheets of media and, subsequently, fasten the individual sheets to form the booklet.
2. Description of the Related Art
Prior to the present invention, as set forth in general terms above and more specifically below, it is known, in the booklet making art, to utilize an xe2x80x9cInside-Outxe2x80x9d method for making booklets. The Inside-Out method refers to the method of placing the furtherest inside sheet of the booklet over the saddle and stacking subsequent sheets on top. The cover, if needed, is a then placed over the last stacked sheet. This bundle is then fastened to form a booklet. It is also to be understood that an xe2x80x9cOutside-Inxe2x80x9d method can be utilized. The xe2x80x9cOutside-inxe2x80x9d method is basically the opposite of the xe2x80x9cInside-Outxe2x80x9d method in that the cover is handled first and the furtherest inside sheet of the booklet is handled last. Exemplary of such prior art is U.S. Pat. No. 6,363,851 (""851) to J. Gerhard et al., entitled xe2x80x9cProcess for Producing Folded, Bound Printed Products, and the Printed Product Produced.xe2x80x9d While the ""851 reference uses the xe2x80x9cInside-Outxe2x80x9d technique, the finished booklet includes sheets of the same lengths which results in an unattractive V-shaped creep or chevron edge along the booklet edge. Consequently, a more advantageous system, then, would be provided if the V-shaped creep or chevron edge could be eliminated.
It is also known, in the booklet making art, to utilize a trimming device that eliminates the V-shaped edge. Exemplary of such prior art are U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,965 (""965) to B. P. Mandel et al., entitled xe2x80x9cAutomatic On-Line Signature Booklets Finisher for Electronic Printersxe2x80x9d and U.S. Pat. No. 5,547,176 (""176) to G. C. Williams et al., entitled xe2x80x9cApparatus and Method for Binding Pseudo-Signatures into a Booklet.xe2x80x9d While the ""965 and ""176 references utilize a guillotine-type trimmer to eliminate the V-shaped creep or chevron edge along the booklet, these devices are expensive, massive, cumbersome, and mechanically/electronically complex. Therefore, a further advantageous system, then, would be provided if the V-shaped creep or chevron edge could be inexpensively and easily removed.
Finally, it is known to cut the individual sheets of the booklet progressively longer (shorter for Outside-In) in order to avoid the creep effect.
It is apparent from the above that there exists a need in the art for a booklet making system which is lightweight through simplicity of parts and uniqueness of structure, and which at least equals the booklet making characteristics of the known booklet making systems, but which at the same time can inexpensively eliminate the V-shaped creep or chevron edge. It is a purpose of this invention to fulfill this and other needs in the art in a manner more apparent to the skilled artisan once given the following disclosure.
Generally speaking, an embodiment of this invention fulfills these needs by providing a booklet making apparatus, wherein the apparatus is comprised of: a media guide; a media sheet holder located along a portion of the media guide; a media sheet saddle having a first end located adjacent to the media guide; an individual sheet cutter located adjacent to a second end of the media sheet saddle; and a booklet fastener located adjacent to the media guide.
In certain preferred embodiments, the media guide includes a curved portion that allows the single sheet of media to traverse along both sides of the saddle. Also, the media sheet holder includes movable skis having rotatable ski arms that can be used to hold the media against the saddle. Also, the sheet cutter is used to cut each, individual sheet of media as the sheet of media is held in place against the saddle by the skis. Finally, the apparatus includes a creasing device to crease the booklet spine in order to eliminate any raised areas or xe2x80x9cpillowingxe2x80x9d along the booklet spine. In another further preferred embodiment, the V-shaped creep or chevron edge along the booklet is eliminated by employing an xe2x80x9cInside-Outxe2x80x9d technique that trims the sheets at different lengths as the sheets are stacked upon each other prior to fastening the sheets together in order to form the booklet. In this manner, the inside sheets will be cut shorter than the outside sheets in order to eliminate the creep or chevron edge. The preferred booklet making apparatus, according to various embodiments of the present invention, offers the following advantages: lightness in weight; ease-of-use; good stability; good durability; excellent booklet making characteristics; compactness in size; and excellent economy. In fact, in many of the preferred embodiments, these factors of lightness in weight, ease-of-use, excellent booklet making characteristics, compactness in size, and excellent economy are optimized to an extent that is considerably higher than heretofore achieved in prior, known booklet making apparatus. The above and other features of the present invention, which will become more apparent as the description proceeds, are best understood by considering the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters represent like parts throughout the several views and in which: